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OF 



WARREN, MASSACHUSETTS, 



BY 



OLNEY I. DARLING 



WEST BROOKFIELD : 

THOMAS MOKKY, PRINTEK AND STEREOTYPER. 

1874. 






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PREFACE. 

Ix presenting this work to the public, the author 
would indulge in a few introductory remarks : 

Histor}^, to be entertaining and useful, should be 
reliable ; and while infallibility is not claimed for 
this production, it is hoped no deviations from the 
line of historical fact may be discovered. The ma- 
terial has been collected by personal observation, 
conversation with the oldest residents in town, cor- 
respondence with parties who formerly lived in War- 
ren, and by careful examination of the town and 
church records. 

The writer would here express his gratitude to 
Mr. S. E. Blair for aid kindly and politely furnished. 
Also to John Moore, E. F. Strickland, Alvin Cope- 
land, and to all others who have, in any manner, as- 
sisted him in his labors. 

If the perusal of this book shall be the means of 
moving the people of Warren to a greater interest 
in their local history and surroundings, the writer 
will feel amply rewarded. 

OLNEY I. DARLING. 

Warren, Mass., Dec. 1st, 1874. 



HISTORY OF WARREN. 



I. LOCATION, BOUNDARIES, AND AREA. 

Warren is situated in the western part of Wor- 
cester County, Mass., twenty-four miles distant from 
Worcester, and sixty-four from Boston by turnpike 
road. By railroad the distance is thirty from Wor- 
cester, seventy-three from Boston, and twenty -five 
from Springfield. It is quite irregular in outline, 
although its greatest length and breadth are about 
equal, viz. six miles. On the north lie Palmer, 
Ware and West Brookfield; east, West Brookfield 
and Brookfield; south, Brimfield; west, Brimfield 
and Palmer. 

The area of the town is about 17,000 acres. 



II. EARLY HISTORY. 

The first parties to settle within the limits of the 
town of Warren, bore the name of Keyes. This was 
in 1731, and the territory was then in the town of 
Brookfield. Others soon followed, of the names of 
Reed, Patrick, Brown, Makepeace and Jones. The 



<? HISTORY OF WARREN. 

population slowly increased until, in 1740, the 
formation of a new town Avas agitated. In Jan- 
uaiy, 1741, "in consideration of the difficulties un- 
der which the people of the westerly part of Brook- 
field, the northerly part of Brimfield, and the east- 
erly part of Kingsfield (now known as Palmer) la- 
bor," the General Court was moved to set apart and 
erect a new^ town to be called Western. The bill 
passed the Legislature January 14, 1741, and was 
signed by the Executive two days later. 

On March 8th, 1741, was holden the first Town 
Meeting. The officers chosen on this occasion were, 
Moderator, Noah Ashley ; Towai Clerk, Matthew 
Real. Selectmen, Noah Ashley, Peter Rice, Solo- 
mon Keyes. Constable, Benj. Davis. 

Among the first duties of the Selectmen was a sur- 
vey of the town for the purpose of ascertaining the 
geographical center. This was found to be near Co- 
m3^'s hill, not far from the present residence of Patrick 
Flannery. Here, on April 18th, 1743, was located 
the Town Meeting House. At a town meeting held 
May 2d, 1743, the town decided that the dimensions 
of said house should be 45x35 feet, and 20 feet 6 
inches between sill and plate. The sum of three 
hundred pounds was voted to defray expenses, and 
Noah Ashley and Solomon Ke3^es were chosen a com- 
mittee to procure spike-poles, provisions and drink 
for the raising. All meetings, civil and religious, 
were held in this building, from its completion until 
its abandonment, about 1800. 

The Rev. Isaac Jones was the first pastor of Wes- 



HISTORY OF WARREN. 7 

tern. On July 20th, 1744, he was informed by a 
committee of the town consisting of Samuel Bliss, 
Gershom Makepeace, Noah Ashley, Thomas Rich 
and Peter Rice, that the " freeholders of Western 
had selected him for their minister, and they prayed 
for his speed}^ and serious consideration of the prem- 
ises." His letter of acceptance is dated December 
14th, 1744. Mr. Jones continued his pastoral rela- 
tions with the town until his death, a period of forty 
years. 

The attention of the selectmen of those days was 
largely engrossed by the location of roads. Petition 
upon petition for new highways poured in upon 
them, as the great number of roads in town, man}- of 
them discontinued, abundantly testify. 

It appears that previous to 1762, the cattle were 
allowed to graze pretty much where they pleased. 
On May 21st, 1762, it was voted to build a pound 
thirty feet square inside the wall. This institution 
was located near Samuel Bascom's, and between his 
two houses, on the spot now covered by Butter- 
worth's blacksmith shop on Maple street. In 1836 
the establishment was removed to its present loca- 
tion, near the site of the first meeting house. 

During the exciting times of the Revolution and 
the years immediately preceding, the people of Wes- 
tern were not afraid to declare their views of the 
situation. At town meeting, Januar}^ 17, 1774, it 
was declared " that the plan of importing tea into 
America, subject to a tax by commissioners of the 
East India Company, was a very great infringement 



8 HISTORY OF WABBEN. 

on their rights, and threatened them with bondage 
and slavery." Other resolutions of a similar charac- 
ter followed, and the meeting closed by the adoption 
of the following spirited declaration of sentiment : 
'' Loyalty and true allegiance to His Majesty, King 
George the Third, we heartily and sincerely profess, 
and will yield a cheerful and ready obedience to all 
just laws ; and a hearty friendship with our mother 
country we wish may be continued until time shall 
be no more ; but our just rights and privileges, for 
which our forefathers endured the greatest hard- 
ships, and many of them sacrificed their lives, we 
cannot give up and submit to be bondmen and slaves, 
but are determined to defend, with the greatest vigor 
and resolution; which is, as we apprehend, almost 
the universal sentiment of every freeman in Ameri- 
ca." Major Reuben Reed, of Revolutionary fame, 
was a native of this town. 

After the death of Mr. Jones the town invited 
Stephen Baxter to become their minister. His let- 
ter of acceptance is dated December 6th, 1790, and 
he was ordained March 9th, 1791. 

During his pastorate the project of a new Meeting 
House was brought to public notice. As regarded 
the location of this building the town was greatly 
divided. A portion wished it on the old site, while 
others wished it about half a mile to the west, which, 
by an addition to the town, had now become the 
geographical center. Town meeting after town 
meeting was held to no purpose, and the matter was 
finally referred to three disinterested parties from 



HI STORY OF WABREN. 9 

out of town, who located the house on the common 
Avhere it was erected in 1804. Mr. Baxter was suc- 
ceeded in 1806 by Sylvester Burt, and Burt was suc- 
ceeded in 1816 by Munson C. Gaylord. During Mr. 
Gay lord's pastorate, the Universalists petitioned for 
leave to hold services in the meeting house a part of 
the time. This was granted, but upon trial did not 
work satisfactorily, and the town granted the Con- 
gregational society the exclusive use of the building, 
reserving the right to hold town meetings in the 
vestry. (The succeeding history of this society will 
be found under the head of '' Religious.") 

About this time many of the inhabitants began to 
be dissatisfied with the name of the town. The sim- 
ilarity of Western and Weston led to countless mis- 
takes in the transmission of the mails, and it soon 
became apparent that a new name must be provided. 
On January 13th, 1834, a town meeting was held to 
take action on the matter. A committee of five 
were chosen to select a name, and they unanimously 
recommended the name of Warren. The town pe- 
titioned the Legislature accordingly to alter the 
name, which was soon done, and the first town 
meeting in "Warren" w^as held April 28th, 1834. 
The name was given in honor of Gen. Joseph War- 
ren, who fell on the field of Bunker. 



Til. RELIGIOUS. 



The meeting house, as previously stated, passed 
from the control of the town during the ministration 



10 • HI. ^20 BY OF WABB^y. 

of Mr. Gaylord. He was succeeded in 1829 by Oren 
Catliu, and in 1832 Mr. Catlin was succeeded by 
Charles Fitch. The next pastor was the Rev. 
George Trask, ordained in 1886. The creditable 
notoriety which he has since obtained b}^ his radical 
Anti-Tobacco attitude, moves us to the following- 
brief particulars of his life. Born in 1796, in Bever- 
ly, Mass., in 1812 he was apprenticed to his brother, 
who carried on the manufacture of britannia ware. 
Being converted in 1819 and believing himself called 
to preach the Gospel, he prepared himself in Gor- 
ham Academy, Bowdoin College and Andover Semi- 
nary. His first ordination occurred in Framingham, 
in 1830. And in 1836 he was called to Warren, 
where he labored ten years, .since which time he has 
resided in Fitchburg, devoting his whole time to re- 
formatory efforts in behalf of the Anti-Tobacco 
cause. Mr. Trask's ministry seems to have been em- 
inently an active one, attended in an eminent degree 
by reforms and revivals. 

It must be borne in mind that although the meet- 
ing house was in the hands of the Congregational 
Society, it still stood upon the common which was 
owned by the town. When the improvement of the 
common became probable, it was deemed expedient 
to remove the church, and it was accordingly re- 
moved to its present site in 1837. At the same time 
it was enlarged and improved in many respects. 

The succeeding pastors have been Rev. Messrs. 
Charles Smith, I. H. Northrop, S. S. Smith, E. L. 
Jagger, and S. J. Austin, the present minister. 



HI^TOBY OF WARREN. 11 

In April, 1874, by an explosion of gas, the church 
was set on fire and entirely destroyed, and the sex- 
ton narrowly escaped with his life. The society are 
now erecting a church which in point of cost, size, 
and elegance of architectural design, is not equalled 
in this vicinity. 

This was the pioneer society in town, and now, by 
reason of its membership, wealth, and exemplifica- 
tion of the precepts given by the Master, it is enti- 
tled to rank as the First church in Warren. 

The First Universalist society was organized in 
1815, in the southern part of the town. Their 
church was built in 1821, and services were held un- 
til near 1833, when the organization was abandoned. 

The Second Universalist society was organized 
about 1825, and for a dozen years held services in 
No. 1 school house. In 1837 their present church 
was built, and in 1839 the Rev. J. W. Talbot was 
installed. The other jDrominent pastors have been 
Rev. Messrs. Laws, Webster, Plum, Bradley, and 
Moore. The society is at present without a settled 
minister. 

The Methodist society was organized in 1852, and 
for ten years held services in Union Hall. On April 
20th, 1863, during the ministration of Rev. M. M. 
Parkhurst, the society chose a building committee of 
nine, and instructed them to purchase the church in 
Jencksville, (Ludlow) which was accordingly done, 
and removed to Warren. Among the prominent 
pastors have been Rev. Messrs. Parkhurst, George, 
Satchwell, Locke, Godfrey and Tisdale, the present 
minister. 



12 HISTORY OF WAEREy. 

The West Congregational society was organized 
in West Warren, July 2otli, 1865. The Rev. A. H. 
Somes was the first pastor, being installed in 1866. 
His resignation being accepted in 1869, the Rev. C. 
G. Weeks supplied the pulpit over a year. During 
his pastorate the present church was erected, the 
society having previously worshipped in Grossman's 
Hall. For over tw^o years after the resignation of 
Mr. Weeks the church was without a settled pastor. 
The present minister, the Rev. W. M. Gay, was or- 
dained in January, 1873. 

Previous to the organization of the West Congre- 
gational society, there existed at West Warren a re- 
ligious body known as the Order of United Breth- 
ren. 

The Catholic people of the town have maintained 
services for a number of years, and in 1872 the pres- 
ent churches were first occupied. -? 



IV. EDUCATIONAL. 

For fifty years after the incorporation of the town, 
education was carried on chiefly by neighborhood en- 
terprise. In 1795 the town w^as divided into eight 
districts, each district having the privilege of erect- 
ing its own building and managing its own affairs, 
through a Prudential Committee. 

In 1842 the cause of education in Warren received 
a great impetus from the establishment of the Qua- 
boag Seminary. The affairs of this institution were 
under the management of a joint stock company. 



HISTORY OF WAIiEEN. 18 

and it soon became celebrated throng-bout the State. 
The schools were reorganized in 1846, and one dis-. 
trict added, making nine in all. 

In 1847, in consequence of some dissatisfaction 
with the School Committee, the town refused to 
pay them their salary. This illiberality brought out 
a series of resolutions by one of the Committee, and 
the pay was soon forthcoming. 

About this time the project was agitated of pur- 
chasing the seminary and converting the same into a 
Town High School. The town refused to make the 
necessary appropriation, but in 1850 the sum of five 
hundred dollars was voted for the benefit of the 
seminary, in consideration of certain privileges al- 
lowed the pupils in town. In 1856 the town pur- 
chased, for two thousand dollars, the entire semina- 
ry property, and the building has since been used 
for Town Hall and High School. The schools were 
graded at this time, and the cause of education iji 
Warren looked bright and auspicious. 

In 1869 the district system was abolished, and the 
town assumed entire charge of the schools. School 
house No. 1 being burned in 1872, six town meet- 
ings were held before the details of a new one were 
satisfactorily comj)leted. Several times the building 
was located in unheard of and inaccessible places, 
and the matter was finally ended by the erection of 
a house near the old site. During the past year it 
became evident that more accommodations at West 
Warren were necessarj^ and a fine house, second to 
none in town, has just been completed. The schools 



14 HJSTOBY OF WARREN. 

of Warren have always held a high rank, as is evi- 
dent by the attendance of pupils from other towns. 

In the State, having three hundred and thirtj^-six 
towns, only twenty-nine of them appropriate more 
per scholar. In our county, Worcester alone is in 
advance of us. Our rank, according to the per cent- 
age of our taxable property appropriated to the sup- 
port of public schools in the State, is fifteen ; and in 
the county, three. Number of school children in 
Warren four hundred and ten. Annual appropria- 
tion (about)|4,800. 



V. MANUFACTURES. 

In common with most New England towns the 
first manufacturing establishments in town were a 
saw and grist mill. These cannot now be accurately 
located. The manufacture of powder was begun 
about 1812, on the present site of Knowles' steam 
pump works. After running two years the mill shut 
down for the same length of time, when it again 
opened and run until 1826, when the entire manu- 
factory was destroyed by an explosion, and a work 
man named Curtis instantly killed. 

The scythe business next claims our attention : 
This was begun in 1812, by a Mr. Richardson, in the 
western part of the town, on the spot now covered 
by the dye house of the cotton mills. Richardson 
sold out to William Taft, who conducted the busi- 
ness until about 1843. Taft was a genius. During 



HISTORY OF WARREN. 15 

the surveys for the Western Railroad he loaded his 
gun and declared he would shoot the first man that 
invaded his premises. There have also been scythe 
shops at Warren and at the Lower Village, but now 
there are none in town. 

The manufacture of cotton cloth was began in 

1815, in the building now occupied by L. J. 
Knowles' warp mill. 

The first woolen mill in town began to run in 

1816, at the Lower Village, and continued until its 
destruction by fire in January, 1818. 

The manufacture of pig iron was begun in 1816 
by Messrs. Field & Moore at the Lower Village, 
and continued for a number of years. 

The manufacture of woolen goods was carried on 
for several years- by Olney Goff at West Warren. 
He was burnt out in 1847, and in 1854 the building 
known as mill No. 1 was erected. No. 2 was built 
in 1866, and No. 3 in 1874. These mills are now run 
on cotton goods. 

The first pumps made in town were manufactured 
by Daniel Hitchcock, and were of the hand variety. 

Mr. Howe, inventor of the celebrated Howe Truss 
Bridge, formerly occupied buildings on the site of 
the steam pump works. 

Ellis & Powers carried on the woolen business for 
several years ; were burnt out in April, 1850, rebuilt, 
and continued until their sale to S. H. Sible}", by 
whom the present mill was built in 1864. 

The steam pump business dates back to December, 
1861, when E. F. Strickland, with one assistant, in 



16 HISTORY OF WARE EN. 

what is now Ramsdell's boot shop, began to manu- 
facture under Knowles' patent. In May, 1862, the 
old powder mill site was purchased and the works 
transferred to where thej^ have since remained. The 
shop at this time was forty-five feet in length. In 
1863 greater manufacturing facilities were necessary, 
and the shop was enlarged hj an addition of fifty 
feet. Business still increasing, in June, 1868, the 
foundry was opened, and in 1872 still another addi- 
tion to the main shop became necessary. The ma- 
chines made by this company invariably receive the 
first award wherever exhibited. 

The manufacture of edge tools, other than scythes, 
was begun at West Warren in 1853 by A. W. Cross- 
man. In 1854 the present shops were built, in 
which the business of manufacturing shaves and 
chisels has since been conducted. Mr. Grossman 
ma}" be appropriately termed the "Father of West 
Warren." Commencing business here when the 
village contained scarcely twenty houses, he has con- 
tributed in no small degree to the present prosperity 
of the place. It was owing largely to his influence 
that the post office was established in West Warren 
in 1862. 

Boots and shoes were first made in Warren by the 
Union Boot Company, in 1855. Their shop stood 
on the site now covered by Brigham's block. In 
1857 the property was purchased by Emory Shum- 
way, who, in 1865, sold to Rice & Burroughs, who 
manufactured tape until its destruction by fire in 
1867. 



HISTORY OF WABBEN. 17 

The manufacture of ink was begun in 1858, by 
John Moore, in a portion of his residence. It had a 
successful run from the first, and in 1866 the pres- 
ent shop became a necessity. In 1865 the manufac- 
ture of Blueing was added, since which time the busi- 
ness has steadily increased. The inks made by this 
company are not excelled, while their blueing is ab- 
solutely unequalled. In 1872 was begun, in Fair- 
bank's block, the manufacture, under Fogarty's pa- 
tent, of the Excelsior Gas Machine. Already the 
business has outgrowai their limited quarters, and 
probably greater manufacturing facilities will soon 
be provided. 

Many other branches of business have been car- 
ried on in Warren, viz : Axe-handles, brick, hats, 
carpet-tacks, boot and shoe lasts, jack screws and 
distillation of ardent spirits. 

To the enterprise and '' goaheaditiveness " of its 
manufacturers, Warren is indebted for its present 
prosperity. Through their efforts the town has 
been brought from a populaton of five hundred to 
over three thousand. 



VI. FIRE DEPARTMENT. 

The first measures taken in town for the extin- 
guishment of fires was in 1824, when Machine No. 1 
was purchased by individual subscription. Al- 
though this engine is now out of date, it was the 
only one in town for over forty years, and saved a 



IS HISTORY OF IVAEIiEy. 

great amount of property. On March 7, 1837, the 
town chose Harrison BishojD and John Moore fire 
wards, and appropriated the sum of 835 for the pur- 
chase of buckets and fire hooks. In 1867, Quaboag 
No. 2, was procured at an expense of over ^1,800. 

During the past season (1874) the town, in con- 
junction with Knowles' Steam Pump Works, have 
laid water mains in Warren ; also at West Warren, 
in concert with the cotton mills. 

The department at present consists of a well orga- 
nized company of fifty men, engines Nos. 1 and 2, 
together with a hose company who man the hy- 
drants. Annexed will be found a list of fires which 
have taken place in town. It is undoubtedly incom- 
plete, but it is hoped it may be near enough to be of 
use. 

1818, barn at town farm ; 1818, Jan., Woolen mill 
at Lower Village. 1826, No. 1 school house. 1844, 
March 25, Bacheller Tavern. 1845, barn of Issacher 
.Comins. 1847, mill of O. Goff. 1850, April, Ellis 
& Power's mill. 1856, (?) Newell Cutler's House. 
1857, (?) No. 4 school house. 1862, J. Ramsdell's 
barn. 1863, July 7, barn of J. F. Hitchcock. 1863, 
Sept. 16, house and barn of N. G. Reed. 1864, (?) 
barn of D. Ellis. 1864, (?) barn of Alvah Foskit. 
1864, house and barn of F. Hill. 1867, Sep. 3, 
Tape mill of Burroughs & Rice. 1867, barn of A. 
W. Grossman. 1868, house of D. O'Neil. 1868, 
April 25, Fairbank's block. 1868, Jan., house of 
Col. Lincoln. 1869, Oct. 4, Knowles' warp mill. 
1871, (?) Warren Ball's barn. 1871, barn of R. Hen- 



HTSrORY OF W ABB EN. 19 

essey. 1871, Nov. 29, mill of S. H. Sibley. 1872, 
June 19, No. 1 school house. 1878, March 23, barn 
of Mrs. Orril Gould. 1874, Feb. 25, shop of C. Moore. 
1874, March 19, House of R. Flynn. 1874, April 2, 
house of Mrs. King, AVest Warren. 1874, April 29, 1st 
Congregational Church. 1874, May 30, house of J. 
Haley. 1874, Oct. 31, house of D. Haley. 



IV. THE COMMON. 

Probably no toAvn interest has been the subject of 
more discussion and contention than the common. 
It previously embraced considerable more territory 
than at present, and in 1825 was ornamented only 
by an old house and barn, the buttonwood tree, and 
the meeting house and sheds. The first measures 
relative to the improvement of the common were in 
1837, when the town voted that the " Money re- 
ceived from Stone & Co., together with the avails of 
the barn back of the meeting house be left in the 
hands of the selectmen, to be appropriated toward 
leveling said town lot for a common. The fund^ 
amounted to $14.30. The same vear the meeting: 
house was moved, but still the betterments con- 
tinued to " hang fire." The next year the railroad 
was built, and the town offered the company the 
privilege of building their depot on the common, or 
the sum of 8250 in money. This action met the 
disapproval of many, and the same year it was voted 
to make no improvements. This settled the matter 



20 HISTORY OF WABBEN. 

for some years, but in 1846 the selectmen were in- 
structed to look up the common grounds with a view 
to their improvement. Nothing was done until 1855 
when the selectmen were instructed to remove all 
obstacles on the common and locate a town house 
there, procure plans and estimates. Town meeting 
after town meeting followed in quick succession, 
and Warren was stirred to its greatest depths. The 
town house plan failed and the common was graded 
and ornamented in the style to be seen at present. 



VIII. THE CEMETERY. 

Our vales are sweet with fern and rose, 

Our hills are maple-crowned ; 
But not from them our fathers ch»se 

The village burying ground. 

The dreariest spot in all the land 

To Death they set apart; 
With scanty grace from Nature's hand, 

And none from that of Art. 

The above lines by Whittier are a perfect de- 
scription of the cemetery as it used to be, as those 
who are familiar with the old yard will bear witness. 
The oldest stone in the yard bears date 1756, 
although interments took place before that time. The 
yard was probably set apart as a burying ground 
soon after the incorporation of the town, and at first 
comprised about one acre. It has since received 
four separate additions, the last one being in 1848, 



HISTORY OF WARBFN. 21 

from land purchased from Kev. George Trask. Dur- 
ing the past fifteen j^ears it has received many cred- 
itable ornamentations, and after the contemplated 
removal of the useless trees, still greater improve- 
ments ma}^ be expected. The yard at present con- 
tains about twelve acres. 

Mr. Jones, the minister of Western, lies here, as 
do many other local celebrities. 



IX. POSTAL AFFAIRS. 

The first post office in town was established about 
1810 at the Lower Village with Joseph Field as 
postmaster. Mr. Field was succeeded by Daniel 
Hitchcock, Avho held office until removed by Presi- 
dent Jackson in 1832. To Mr. Hitchcock is ascribed 
the distinction of having the office moved to the 
East Village. 

Nathan Hathaway was the next postmaster, and 
w^as removed in 183T ; Mr. Hathaway was succeeded 
by John Moore, and the sign " post office " again dis- 
played at the Lower Village. Mr. Moore was suc- 
ceeded by J. F. Hitchcock, and the office went to the 
East Village. A change in the administration next 
brought the office under the control of S. B. Rich- 
ardson, and the institution came home to the Lower 
Village. Mr. Richardson was succeeded by W. H. 
Sessions, and the post office was moved to the East 
Village. In 1853 Daniel Russell was appointed 
post master and (shall we say it?) the office was 



22 HISTORY OF W ABB EN. 

moved to the Lower Village. Mr. Russell's successor 
was Franklin Drury, and he moved the office to the 
East Village, where it has since remained. Mr. 
Drury was succeeded in 1861 b}^ J. F. Hitchcock. 
The South Warren post office was established during 
the stage coach period, with Adolphus Hodges post- 
master. This office has been closed for a number of 
years. The West Warren office was established in 
1862, with Lewis Elwell as postmaster, and he has 
since continued to hold that position. 



X. MATTERS OF INTEREST. 

The soil of Warren is generally good, although 
portions in the southern part are useful only as they 
serve to hold the world together. The geological 
formation is principally dolorites and gneiss, and 
specimens of adularia, mica, and garnet are found in 
the southern part. 

The scenic aspect of the town is not surpassed in 
Worcester county, with the single exception of 
Princeton. From an immense rock, a short distance 
southwest of the town farm, may be seen the entire 
extent of Massachusetts, from Boston to Berkshire, 
and from Monadnock to the hills of Connecticut. 
The improvements and changes in town within the 
last fifty years seem almost too fabulous for belief. 
In 1815 there were within a radius of half a mile 
from the common only twelve families. The tract 
between Maple street and the Brookfield road was 



HISTORY OF WABBEN, 23 

literally a howling wilderness, alder sw^amps and 
gravel hills alternating. 

As late as 1840, when some changes in this vicini- 
ty were agitated, the Rev. George Trask said " that 
the Scriptures declared that the rough should be 
made smooth, and the hills leveled;" and if the pro- 
posed improvements were carried out it would be a 
literal fulfillment. 

Although Nimrod never visited Warren on his 
hunting tours, it does not follow that the hunting- 
was bad. As late as 1834 bears were killed on Coy's 
hill. Previous to this time they were quite numer- 
ous in the western and southern borders. 

Among the oldest houses in town are the Warren 
hotel, and the residences of Mrs. L. Warriner, Emo- 
ry Shumway and George Howard. 





XI. STATISTICS. 


he figures are 


for 1874 unless otherwise stat( 


Population, 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 


1815, 500. 
1823, 700. 
1838, 1,196. 
1865, 2,180. 
1870, 2,623. 
1874, (estimated) 3,100. 


Personal Estate, - - $393,684. 
Real Estate, - - 1,168,461. 


Total Valuation, $1,562,145. 



24 HISTOBY OF WARREN. 

Number of Polls, 796. 

do. of Dwelling Houses, 445. 

do. of Horses, 239. 

do. of Cows, 944. 

do. of Sheep, 129. 

do. of Acres of Land Taxed, 16,332. 



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WAREEN, MASSACHUSETTS, 



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OLNEY I. DARLING. 



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WEST BROOKFIELD : 

THOMAS^ MOREY, PRINTER AND STEREOTYPKR- 
1874. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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